Reports that football star Cristiano Ronaldo has bought a holiday villa at the La Resina Country Club a little west of Marbella highlight just how popular this area is amongst sportsmen. The former Real Madrid star, now with Juventus in Italy, is rumoured to become a neighbour of mixed martial arts specialist and boxer, Conor McGregor, who joins his compatriot ex-footballer Steven Carr and Danish goalkeeper Thomas Sorenson in the area.
One of the most attractive parts of the New Golden Mile – the coastal area that stretches between Estepona and Guadalmina-San Pedro Alcántara – is a zone called Bahía de La Plata. It translates as the ‘Silver Bay’ and is worthy of the name, for this is a particularly pretty section of coast between Marbella and Estepona, situated upon a gentle curve of the shoreline just a short distance east of Estepona town and its own large, sandy beaches.
Puerto Banús is widely known as the most ‘jet set’ place on the Costa del Sol, a reputation it has been building over the past several decades. It is an accolade that is not misplaced: the ‘Port’, as many overseas residents call it, is filled to the brim with multimillionaire’s yachts, and its frontline shops are home to the world’s most exclusive brands, from Fendi and Armani to Prada and Jimmy Choo.
Marbella’s Casco Antiguo, or Old Town, is one of the town’s most famous destinations. It is beloved by many for its authenticity and charm, its winding, cobbled lanes and its architecture. As a place to live it is unequalled, thanks to its position in relation to a wealth of amenities such as hospitals and schools, as well as restaurants and boutiques. Furthermore, it is only a few minutes walk from the Old Town to Marbella’s bustling seaside paseo walkway and the beach.
Though it is not an official name, this is the rather exotic sounding way local people describe what is one of the most elegant and exclusive parts of Marbella.
For most people, the Costa del Sol is all about sun-kissed shores and Mediterranean breezes. Marbella’s beach lifestyle, which prominently features up-market beach clubs, elegant chiringuito bars and millionaires’ marinas, has long attracted an international jet set looking for exclusivity, glitz and glamour. Then there’s the smell of fresh, salty air; glorious sunrises, sunsets and, of course, time to find inspiration as you gaze at the horizon, toes digging into the sand.
